Written Answers Tuesday 28 September 2010

Scottish Executive

Council Tax

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received from Glasgow City Council regarding ending the council tax freeze and what its response has been.

John Swinney: I received a letter from Councillor Gordon Matheson, the Leader of Glasgow City Council, on 15 August proposing that the council tax freeze should be scrapped. In reply, I made it clear that the Scottish Government would prefer to continue with the council tax freeze, but I explained that following the Independent Budget Review report we were discussing this issue with our local authority partners and other stakeholders.

Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, in view of the lacuna in the law inhibiting the prosecution of certain domestic abuse cases, when it will commence section 38 of the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010.

Kenny MacAskill: A Commencement Order has been made which will bring section 38 of the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 into force on 6 October 2010.

Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when a commencement order will be made for section 38 of the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010.

Kenny MacAskill: A commencement order has been made which will bring section 38 of the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 into force on 6 October 2010.

Education

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what savings it has estimated that there will be for (a) local authorities and (b) if its proposals to cease the collection and publication of a range of national education statistics are enacted and from where these savings will come.

Michael Russell: The Scottish Government is clear it wishes to remove the burden it places on schools and teachers for statistics unless there is clear Scottish Government need. Financial and time savings resulting from this rationalisation will ultimately depend on the decisions taken by local authorities and schools to manage their data collections. Clearly, any removal of central demand by the Scottish Government will enable local authorities and schools to make appropriate decisions about streamlining the evidence they gather.

Education

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate it has made of the number of man-hours that will be saved should its proposals to cease collection and publication of a range of national education statistics be enacted.

Michael Russell: The Scottish Government is clear it wishes to remove the burden it places on schools and teachers for statistics unless there is clear Scottish Government need. Whilst there may be some savings within Scottish Government, the focus of this proposal is to remove any unnecessary demand by the Scottish Government and thus enable local authorities and schools to make appropriate decisions about streamlining the evidence they gather.

Higher Education

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much was invested in higher education teaching funds in (a) colleges and (b) universities in each of the last five years and what the year-on-year change was in real terms in each year.

Michael Russell: Decisions on the allocation of resources to colleges, including the amount distributed as teaching funding, are a matter for the Scottish Funding Council.

Mental Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many calls have been (a) received and (b) answered by Breathing Space in each month since January 2010.

Shona Robison: The number of calls (a) received and (b) answered by Breathing Space, in each month since January 2010 is as follows:

  

Month
Received
Answered


January 2010
6,246
5,804


February 2010
5,364
4,903


March 2010
6,413
5,854


April 2010
5,881
5,541


May 2010
6,102
5,690


June 2010
5,398
4,890


July 2010
6,354
5,885


August 2010
6,523
6,066



  Note: It is normal to expect a level of abandoned calls in any contact centre and this can vary depending on the nature of the business.

  The average number of calls received and answered in 2006-07 to 2010-11 is as follows:

  

Year
Received
Answered


2006-07
2,984
2,869


2007-08
3,486
3,329


2008-09
4,357
4,186


2009-10
4,541
4,257


2010-11
6,052
5,614



  The figures show a consistent and significant rise in calls received since 2006.

Mental Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has been provided for the Choose Life programme in each year since May 2007.

Shona Robison: The funding provided for Choose Life each year since May 2007 is as follows:

  


2007- 08
2008- 09
2009-10
2010-11


National 
£962,000
£920,000
£964,000
£813,619


Local 
£3.198 million*
**
**
**



  Notes:

  *£3.198 million was allocated by Scottish Government to local authorities for suicide prevention action, with associated guidance on priorities for the use of funds.

  **Under the concordat between the Scottish Government and COSLA, funding for local suicide prevention action in 2008-11 is wrapped up in general allocations to local authorities. It is for local authorities to determine, on the basis of local circumstances and needs, how to prioritise this funding.

  Funding provided for the Choose Life programme in 2010-11 is less than that provided in 2009-10, due to Choose Life now being situated within NHS Health Scotland and having access to their internal resources to help support Choose Life programme objectives. Choose Life now have the practical and professional support of the larger organisation, as well as drawing on their knowledge, expertise and development skills at no extra cost. Effectively the programme objectives are being supported at the same level at a reduced cost to the Scottish Government.

  Other Scottish Government funding is also provided to support a range of actions on improving mental health and wellbeing, such as the development of a Confidential Suicide Register for Scotland aimed at improving future knowledge on suicide prevention, and other programmes of work designed to tackle depression and anxiety.

Ministerial Visits

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the purpose is of the visit to China of the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning; what his engagements are; who he will see; who will accompany him, and what the total estimated cost is.

Michael Russell: I am undertaking a wide range of visits and meetings in China as part of the Scottish Government’s continuing commitment to promote Scotland’s educational excellence overseas. These engagements are designed to build on the First Minister’s visit earlier this year and strengthen further our links with the world’s largest economy to the benefit of Scotland. The programme is still being finalised at this time and so conclusive details of content and cost are not yet available.

Police

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the fingerprint service now operates without a Verification Unit, following recent reforms within the Scottish Police Services Authority (SPSA).

Kenny MacAskill: Following a Scientific Advisory Group (Managers) meeting in June 2010, there are now no verification units within the Scottish Police Services Authority.

  Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the procedure for verifying fingerprint identifications now requires a second or third check to be carried out by an examiner with more experience than the initial examiner, following recent reforms within the Scottish Police Services Authority (SPSA).

Kenny MacAskill: Fingerprint identifications are carried out using the Analysis, Comparison, Evaluation – Verification (ACE-V) methodology. No check is required by an examiner with more experience but each identification is checked by two other qualified experts.

  Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the procedure for verifying fingerprint identifications requires the anonymity of the initial examiner to be maintained, following recent reforms within the Scottish Police Services Authority (SPSA).

Kenny MacAskill: No anonymity is required for those carrying out fingerprint identifications. Fingerprint identifications are carried out using the Analysis, Comparison, Evaluation – Verification (ACE-V) methodology and each identification is checked by two other qualified experts.

  Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of road policing officers will be redeployed following the proposed restructuring of Strathclyde Police’s road policing department.

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many officers were deployed by Strathclyde Police’s road policing department in each of the last three years and how many are projected to remain in the department following the proposed restructuring.

Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government does not hold this information.

  Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the proposed restructuring of Strathclyde Police’s road policing department will have on the number of officers policing roads.

Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government does not have this information. This is a matter for the Chief Constable of Strathclyde Police.

  Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position on whether the proposed restructuring of Strathclyde Police’s road policing department will have an adverse effect on road safety.

Kenny MacAskill: It is the responsibility of the Chief Constable of Strathclyde Police to assess the effect that any restructuring of the Road Policing Unit will have on road safety.

  Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Cabinet Secretary for Justice last met the Scottish Police Services Authority board and what issues were discussed.

Kenny MacAskill: I last met the Scottish Police Services Authority (SPSA) board at the SPSA awards event on 14 March 2010. The discussion was based on the outstanding achievements of SPSA staff in providing expert support services to Scotland’s police forces.

  Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether representatives of the Scottish Government were present at the last board meeting of the Scottish Police Services Authority.

Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government does not attend Scottish Police Services Authority board meetings.

  Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions the Cabinet Secretary for Justice has had with the Scottish Police Services Authority board regarding its forensic services modernisation plans.

Kenny MacAskill: I have had no discussions with the Scottish Police Services Authority board regarding its forensic services modernisation plans.

  Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what instructions were given to the Scottish Police Services Authority in relation to its not making public its recommendation regarding its forensic services modernisation plans.

Kenny MacAskill: No instructions have been issued. It is normal practice for the Scottish Police Services Authority to seek approval for proposals under the terms of its Financial Memorandum with the Scottish Government without publication.

  Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Cabinet Secretary for Justice expects to make a final decision on the recommendations given by the Scottish Police Services Authority on its forensic services modernisation plans.

Kenny MacAskill: I will carefully consider the recommendations from the Scottish Police Services Authority on its forensic services modernisation plans when they are received. The final decision will be made this year.

  Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive on what authority the board of the Scottish Police Services Authority decided not to make public its recommendations on the forensic services modernisation plans.

Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-36370 on 28 September 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: 

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Prison Service

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many offenders are currently incarcerated in HMP Edinburgh for carrying an offensive weapon.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked John Ewing, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  As of 22 September 2010 there were 23 prisoners within HMP Edinburgh with an offence of "Offensive Weapon."

  Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the acceptability of the open prison estate operating at approximately 60% capacity while there is overcrowding in the closed estate.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked John Ewing, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  In line with the recommendations within the Foye report, the key priority is to ensure that prisoners are only sent to the Open Estate when they are likely to benefit from the opportunities available and when any risk to the community is within acceptable limits.

  Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason the open prison estate is operating at approximately 60% capacity.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked John Ewing, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  The revised assessment criteria and processes, introduced after the publication of the Foye report, has had a direct impact on the number prisoners being assessed as suitable for open conditions.

  As a result of these changes a multi-disciplinary "progression meeting" now takes place, whilst the prisoner is in a closed establishment, to assess their suitability for transfer to the Open Estate. This process of individual assessment ensures that only those individuals that meet the criteria for open conditions are approved for transfer.

  Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that best use is made of the open prison estate.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked John Ewing, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  Scottish Prison Service staff, within the closed and open estate, work closely together to ensure that all those prisoners who meet the criteria for open conditions and who would benefit from the open estate regime, are located there at the most appropriate point of their sentence.

Public Sector

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what timescale it has in place for its prospective review of data handling procedures in public bodies.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government is responsible for data handling across central government in Scotland. As a result of the 2008 Data Handling Review we have put in place a number of measures across core Scottish Government, agencies and non-departmental public bodies which set robust standards for the storage, processing and transmission of data. We monitor progress and compliance across these organisations annually by the completion of Security Policy Framework (SPF) returns.

  Across the wider public sector, however, it remains the responsibility of individual police forces, local authorities and health boards to ensure that personal or sensitive information is stored securely and handled appropriately. We have worked with them to disseminate guidance material and provide information and advice about good practice.